Albuquerque to Angel Fire

June 20, 2016

We boondocked in Albuquerque at the Route 66 Casino. It was free for one night but there was no electricity so no air conditioning – it was a very hot and uncomfortable night.  We did have dinner and breakfast at the Casino which wasn’t bad. Huevos Rancheros is always good especially with New Mexico chili.

However, we woke up to a flat tire on the truck. Waited for AAA to arrive to change the tire – then a guy showed up and said he was here to change our tire.  Turns out we got scammed by a local auto repair company.   AAA arrived a couple of hours later.

So much for just being able to take off first thing in the am for our next destination. Still had to get gas and stop at Camping World for a water filter.

We left Albuquerque around noon and headed for Hatch. We had good intentions  to pick up some chili but it is a small village and couldn’t manage to park with the travel trailer. Consequently I was not able to pick up some of those famous Hatch Chilies for you Pam or myself.  We did not see a canning factory and suspect that the chiles are grown and harvested here but processed and canned somewhere else.

So on to Angel Fire through many towns including Truth or Consequences, Santa Fe and Espanola where it was still warm. The ascent to the Angel Fire RV Resort was steeper than we thought it would be but worth it.  The highest elevation we reached on the road was about 9,500 feet.  Angel Fire is at 8,300 feet. The air is thin up here but the night and morning temperatures are cool. It was 55 degrees this morning. Wonderful for us desert rats.

It’s great to be settled here for 3 whole weeks. It’s a gorgeous RV RESORT with lots of amenities. It’s only half full right now but we were told it will be full for July 4. Today was a recoup day with a little cleaning and laundry. I will see an RC friend in Taos tonight, about 40 minutes away. Maybe I could live here all summer.  h-m-m-m ……   JY

The journey from Albuquerque to Taos was uneventful …. however the 21 mile stretch between Taos and Angel Fire was a different story.  It was a two lane back country  road and I’m being generous about the two lanes.  We were skirting around the base of the mountain with steep up hills to our left and steep down hills or drop offs to our right.  I was very focused as I was driving and bet there wasn’t a straight section of road that was longer than 200 yards with dozens of blind corners and turns.  In some places we were eyeball level with the tops of the trees to the right.  There was hardly room for a postage stamp between us and on-coming cars and trucks.  You can imagine my consternation when a 40 foot Motor Home towing a Suburban came around the next corner doing what seemed like 45 mph.  As it zoomed by the driver was smilin’ and waving.  This happened several times and it took about a mile or so to start breathing again.  I was holding the steering wheel so tight I think I bent it.  As the saying goes “sometimes you need a really crooked road to get your head straight“.

The views and the weather here are delicious.  As JY said this is a resort with a lot of amenities NOT an RV Park .  Every spot is a pull through with a level concrete pad and decorative iron picnic table.  The hook-ups are first class with a yard light at each station.  There is a gate house with a small store, washers and dryers and bathrooms with showers.  You can only enter with a personal pass code.  There is a very large Lodge were you could entertain at least 500 people – it has three 60 inch flat screens along with a full kitchen.  Then there is a large bath house with a hot tub built for 15 to 20, a large propane fire pit with surround seating along with another 12 washers and dryers and of course more bathrooms and super large showers.  Every Thursday and Sunday they have complimentary wine and cheese along with live entertainment.

Our first night here we slept with the windows open and about 1:00am I was scramblin’ for a blanket.  We now have blankets and sleep with the windows open and it is a wonderful and restful nights sleep with a chilly breeze blowing through the open windows.  Morning seems to come to quickly so we lay there awhile and take our time waking up …. together. PRC